The present invention relates generally to a countermeasure that is effective against both microwave radars and infrared sensors, either separately or simultaneously. For example, interceptor aircraft commonly are armed with a mix of weapons, some controlled by radar and others homing on infrared radiation from the target aircraft. A target aircraft utilizing the present invention can protect itself against either or both types of attack. A similar usefulness applies to aircraft flying over a battlefield on which anti-aircraft weapons comprising radar controlled guns, radar-controlled missiles, microwave homing missiles, and infrared homing missiles are all likely to be present. The countermeasure disclosed herein can act simultaneously to degrade the performance of any combination of these threat weapons.
Previously, separate countermeasures were required for microwave and for infrared threats. This duplication extends to storage volume and control means and inevitably leads to greater weight and cube requirements and more complexity of the installation than the combined countermeasure of the present invention. Furthermore, in order to be prudent and thrifty in the use of this greater weight and cube, it is desirable to provide sensor input to allow a decision as to which type of countermeasure to use in a given threat situation. These sensors in turn require weight, space and power allocations and increase the workload of the pilot or ECM operator.